The mini opens with the promo track, April Story and this is one of their best songs. It’s far more dramatic and mature than the more innocent songs they had done before and this change pays off. The song has a great beat, a wicked guitar and a beautiful touch of strings and synths. The melody doesn’t quite rely on repetition, but it still has a way of inching its way into your head. It’s quite beautiful and works wonderfully with the music.

As It Is Now is definitely more on the synthpop side of things and I love it. It’s something more upbeat and faster, but it doesn’t lose any quality. The beat is powerful and the girls singing in unison really works well here before it pushes the melody forward. It has an intensity to it that hasn’t really been heard from the group before. I do wish the melody was a bit catchier though.

Stop Time is another solid tune although this time we get something brighter and cuter. The strings and the bouncy beat really give it a more positive feeling and the girls change their vocals a bit to suit the song. It’s really catchy and I quite like the energy that the song brings. I do wish it pushed a little harder at times, but it’s still a good track.

Continuing the bright pop sound, WOW comes rolling in. It isn’t as energetic as the last song, but I do think the chorus is much stronger. The melody is fun and it is quite catchy. The music has some pop/rock elements and a bit of funk that help it to stand out a little more from the last song.

The last of the new songs is a ballad. Fine Thank You is definitely more on the gentle side of things, but it’s unfortunately the album’s weakest song. The music is mostly consisting of sparkling synths with very little solid foundation while the melody isn’t really that interesting either. It’s quite boring, which is unfortunate considering the rest of the mini is quite strong.

The last three songs are basically special versions of their promo tracks. There really isn’t much difference from the originals besides the updated line-up singing and a few instruments being changed around. Dream Candy is still amazing, Muah! is still catchy and Snowman is still cute.

Overall:This is a great mini album. The majority of the newer tracks are upbeat and catchy and there is some variety to help keep things from getting boring. The promo track is especially great and one of the group’s best songs. I did like the idea of having the updated versions of their older songs on here as well.

LOVE COOK is the third album released by Otsuka Ai. The album ended up being her most successful, peaking at number one and selling over 835,000 copies. All three of the singles were successful, with two peaking at number one and selling over 300,000 copies each.

5:09am opens the album and it does so in a really interesting way. It starts off really soft with some light synths and Otsuka’s voice before slowly getting some percussion. It’s quite gorgeous. Then halfway through it explodes and turns into a blaring pop/rock tune that has a flailing guitar, blasting synths and more emotional vocals before returning into its quiet self only thirty seconds after. It’s such an interesting track and it is phenomenal.

In my opinion, Otsuka Ai’s best songs are ballads. Haneari Tamago is just that and it really pulls in a lot of other styles she’s done before. This one has a bit of a country vibe to it with its light guitar and strings, but there is something absolutely touching about it all. The melody is so beautiful and Otsuka’s voice just resonates here. I would say this is my favourite of all her songs.

Biidama was released as the second A-side to the album’s first single and its a bright pop tune with some rock elements. It’s not as intense as some of her other pop tunes, but I feel like it doesn’t quite have the same energy. I do like the music and there’s a charm to it, but I feel like the melody isn’t as memorable, even though it is quite cute. Not bad, although it is my least favourite of the A-sides.

SMILY was paired with Biidama in the first single and is the more exciting of the two. This kind of song calls back the sounds of Happy Days and Sakuranbo with its over-the-top pop/rock style. I don’t think it has the same charms as those two songs, but it’s still a fun song and I quite enjoy the main cuteness factor. It’s the perfect song for the summer season with its bright and carefree sound.

U-Boat is another fun and upbeat pop/rock song that is very similar to the last song. I don’t think Otsuka’s vocals are as grating, which is a plus, but the chorus just isn’t as catchy as the last song. It’s still a cute song and I love how it doesn’t really take itself seriously. The rocking guitars and bouncing percussion really creates an exciting sound.

I feel like out of all the singles, Neko ni Fuusen usually got the most flack, which I’m surprised about. Maybe it was because it was stuck between the massive successes of the first and third singles, but it is my favourite of the A-sides. It slows the album down a bit and we get an acoustically driven pop/rock tune. It’s absolutely charming and I love the chorus. Otsuka’s voice is really nice even if she goes a bit more on the “cute” scale and she pulls this song off really well.

Cherish was originally released on a tribute album for the manga, NANA. If you know anything about that film and anime series, then you know this song will have some powerful rock influences and it totally does. The chorus goes full on rock. It’s a pretty dark sounding song, but the verses are gentle and then everything just gets pumped up for the chorus where the heavy electric guitar and percussion come flying in. I wish the melody was a little stronger, but the overall song is great.

Ramen 3-bun Cooking is that one song on every Otsuka album…It’s a crazy tune and I’m not quite sure what to think about it. It’s a really fun song and has some really catchy parts to it, but I don’t think I can really revisit this song that much because it is just too messy and all over the place.

Tokyo Midnight is probably my least favourite song on the album up to this point. It is a fun pop tune with ska influences, which is usually something I enjoy. However, I just don’t find it particularly catchy and it just comes off as a bit forgettable in this album. It isn’t horrible and has a decent chorus, but it doesn’t stand out.

Planetarium was released as the album’s final single and it was a huge hit due to its tie-in. Even without its tie-in, it’s a juggernaut of a song and is one of Otsuka’s best ballads. It reminds me a bit of Kingyo Hanabi with its slow build-up for the verses, but unlike that song, the chorus is definitely more powerful with its strong percussion, touches of guitar and flute. It’s really stunning and this is one of her best vocal performances as well.

I don’t quite know what to think of Birthday Song. It has some country-vibes to it, but it just doesn’t hit the mark. It’s not a bad song, just not that strong. The chorus is basically made up of “Happy Birthday to you”, which gets a bit jarring after a while and it isn’t particularly catchy. I feel like this song would have worked better if the chorus was changed up as the verses aren’t bad.

LOVE MUSIC ends the album on a slower note, but I think it’s the weakest of the ballads. It has a nice arrangement, but it sort of lacks a strong melody and the music just remains at this decent pace but doesn’t quite push anything. Of course, Otsuka’s voice is really charming, so she does work with what she’s got. The song does get a bit better as it goes on.

Overall:This album keeps up the quality that her other albums had, although I do find this one to be the weakest of the lot. There are some really amazing songs on here and they help carry the album, but there are some weaker ones as well. I feel like she tried to play around more with her sound, but it only worked in some areas. It’s still a pretty solid album.

Girls’ Generation is the self-titled first album released by Girls’ Generation. The title track was used as the promotional song and Kissing you was also used to promote it. The album also includes two songs from their first single. The album proved to be a success and helped establish the group’s fanbase.

The title track opens the album and it opens it with a blast. A remake of Lee Seung Chul’s 80’s hit, Girls’ Generation is definitely changed up from the original as it features a dance beat, a blast of sparkling synths and some cuter vocals. It’s still one of my favourite songs from the group because it has a lot of energy in the verses, a nice calming pre-chorus and a powerful electric guitar based chorus. It’s a great song and a great way to start things off.

It’s really odd that things go the bubblegum pop direction with Ooh La-La!, as here we replace the electric guitar for some cute synths and a bouncy beat. It’s not a bad song, but it’s still a bit juvenile for the group. They did cuter pop tunes on the first single, but this just takes things even far in that direction. The good thing about the song is that it has a great melody and it’s still quite catchy. It reminds me of late 90’s pop music like S Club 7.

Baby Baby is another bubblegum pop tune, but it isn’t as upbeat. I actually prefer this one over the last song because the harmonies are much stronger and the chorus is nicely flushed out. It’s not quite in your face, but still has a nice innocence to it that keeps the flow of the album. The girls also sound great and it feels like all the girls’ vocals fit this song. Not the strongest tune, but its a pretty piece.

Complete is the album’s first ballad and it’s a pretty gentle pop tune. The verses are not that great though as the melody just sort of drags on. I feel like this part would benefit being sped up a bit. Luckily, the chorus is quite beautiful. It’s sung in unison like a lot of the choruses on here and the melody works wonderfully with them all blended together. It’s simple and sweet and that ending with Taeyeon doing riffs and runs is stunning.

Kissing you is a return of the saccharine pop sound like Ooh La-La!, but this one feels a lot more focused in its delivery. The music is quite sweet and features a lot synths, but it also has a pretty cool guitar that lays underneath. The melody is quite nice and its fun to sing along to. It’s one of the girls catchiest songs, especially in their earlier days.

Merry-go-round keeps the innocence, but slows things down a bit and adds a stronger beat. I really enjoy this song and its one of my favourites of the album because the chorus has some great harmonies. The only odd parts of the strange jumps in pitch from the verses to the chorus and back. Still, it’s a good song even though it blends a bit with the other tunes on here.

Tears is another ballad, but we finally get something a bit more mature and dramatic. The song sounds like your usual K-Pop ballad with your haunting strings and R&B beat. It’s probably the weakest song for me at this point. The verses are decent, but there is something off about the chorus with the vocal editing and the melody.

Tinkerbell returns us to the bubblegum pop sound and while its another slower tune, it is definitely better than the last one. My only problem is that this song sounds so much like Merry-go-round for me that it becomes hard to differentiate them, although the melody here is a bit weaker. It’s cute, but isn’t as strong.

7989 is a duet between Taeyeon and H.O.T.’s Kangta and references their birth years. Kangta has a really smooth voice and is great for this light R&B elements here. Taeyeon also has a great voice that suits many genres. Unfortunately, this song just isn’t my cup of tea. It’s more fitting for a coffeehouse and doesn’t have quite a lot of energy to it. I don’t really like the arrangement and I’m not a fan of the melody either. Not for me.

Honey is actually “Perfect for You” from their first single but renamed. This is another bubblegum pop song and was the archetype for many of the other songs on the album, but this is one of the my favourites as I love the music with its touches of guitar and great harmonies. It’s sweet.

The album ends on a high note with Into the New World, which is still my favourite song from the group. It’s powerful in both its music and lyrics and I love the energy it has. It also gives me a lot of nostalgia from the days they debuted and when I first got into them. It’s the album’s best song and they haven’t done anything to top this yet. Everything from the dance beat to the melody sung in unison is just so strong.

Overall:This is a solid debut album. I think part of that is the fact that I know this album so well and I used to play it so much ten years ago, but there are some really good tracks on here. The majority of the album has great production and even if a lot of songs sound similar, there are several quality tunes. The melodies are also great and I love how the majority of the songs have their choruses sung in unison. It’s a nice change from the usual K-Pop style of having choruses sung solo as it adds some nice harmonies.

TOKYO STAR is the third album released by Kato Miliyah. It proved to be another success, peaking at number 4 and selling over 207,000 copies. There were three singles released prior to the album, with all scoring within the top 20. Two of the songs became some of her biggest hits and both went double platinum digitally.

The album starts off with its biggest hit and one half of its second single, LALALA, which features Shonannokaze’s Wakadanna. I actually wasn’t expecting a song like this as the verses are acoustic and a departure from the other singles that Kato has done before. I find the verses quite forgettable, but once the chorus comes in, things start to get better. The melody is much better and more memorable and is the type of song that can be easily sung to. I’m not a fan of Wakadanna’s rap though and I think it doesn’t fit the song. Besides that, it’s a decent opener.

The album’s next big hit comes rolling in after with 19 Memories. It samples Amuro Namie’s song, “SWEET 19 BLUES”, which is a favourite of mine. I really like how things were incorporated here as the rest of the song really takes its influence and updates the sound. It has a drawn out R&B/pop sound with some gospel elements in the vocal arrangement. I do find that the song really needs the sample for its hook, but there are some nice parts in the melody that do stand out. No surprise it was the final single.

Better days -sweet love side- brings back Kato’s usual light R&B sound and it works nicely here. I don’t think the melody is as impacting as I want it to be, but it still has a nice energy to it that works well` with the beat. I also think Kato makes one of her best vocal performances here and she doesn’t have too many weird runs or notes. It’s a sweet song.

You Go Your Way is an interesting change as we are given something more country/pop with an R&B beat. It’s not something I hear often, but it’s not a bad song. The melody is a bit flat and doesn’t quite hit the mark at first, but it is the type of song that gets better with every listen. I feel like I wasn’t quite liking it at first, but it has its charms.

Kiss starts off in a great way with its stomping beat and sensual R&B vibes. Unfortunately, that’s where the great things stop. The verses don’t really have much energy to them and while the chorus is a bit faster and better, the way the vocals were edited make it sound too quiet and it gets overpowered by the music. It feels like if the music matched the vocal arrangement more, this would have been a great song.

The album’s first single, Love is…, is the album’s first ballad. I’m not a big fan of Kato’s ballads because I’m not a huge fan of her voice on these songs as she tends to over exaggerate words. This also features that, which is unfortunate because the music is actually quite beautiful. It has a acoustic vibe to it that is supported by strings in the chorus. I do feel like it gets better as it progresses though and the ending is quite nice.

Saigo no I LOVE YOU is a great sadder sounding R&B tune and I love the acoustic touches here because it works wonderfully with the melody. Kato also sounds great in the verses. The chorus isn’t particularly catchy, but everything flows together really well and the harmonies really add a nice layer to the melody. This is my favourite song on the album and it is easy to see why it was used as a promo song for the album.

Just Wanna Have Fun is the album’s first dance song and it’s a needed addition as there hasn’t been anything as upbeat as this song yet. I love the touches of R&B in the vocal arrangement and it still feels like a Kato song. The chorus’ arrangement is simplified a bit and doesn’t feature too many instruments, but it surprisingly does what its supposed to do and is still quite catchy. Good tune!

TOUGH continues the upbeat attitude and brings another powerful tune. This one has an even heavier beat and a pretty cool synth-line that plays throughout the song. Unfortunately, I wish the chorus was a little less messy. The beat and other sounds all boggle together into one and it overpowers the melody, which is actually pretty catchy. It’s a bit of a hot mess.

Young Lady brings us back to R&B and we are given something more lighthearted. This is a total filler track, but not in a good way. The verses feel totally off and Kato’s voice comes off flat at times. Even when the chorus comes in, it feels like there is a huge disconnect between the music and vocals. It just doesn’t match up and it makes me unable to finish listening to the song.

Sayonara is another ballad but starts off in a way that focuses on the piano first. A beat doesn’t really come in until halfway through, although I do wish it left it out. It doesn’t ruin the song, and gets better in the final chorus, but I think it would have been better as a simple piano ballad. Still one of her better ballads.

U gatta understand has a great mix of R&B and traditional-styled music. She did it on her last album with Cry no more and she is doing it again here. I love the beat with the sensuality of the vocals and Kato really pulls this kind of song off well. I only wish the melody was a bit more in the forefront of the chorus as it gets overpowered, but it still creates a nice blended kind of sound. One of the album’s best tracks.

Ai wa Kawarazu starts off sounding like it will be a pop/rock tune. Actually, the verses sort of bore me and I have a hard time getting through them as they take a while to get through. The chorus isn’t bad, but it’s a bit boring as well. I like there is a difference in the music, but the melody just sort of goes along. Not a bad song, just not for me.

The second half of the second single, FUTURECHECKA is an upbeat R&B and hip-hop tune. Once again there are some guest rappers, but they don’t really interest me, except the female rapper. She really brings the needed energy the song needs. My biggest problem is that the singing parts are just really uneventful and lack the punch that the raps give. That and the raps are so long that we are only given a bit of singing. The song is just too long and feels a bit empty.

The title track, Tokyo Star, finishes the album up and ends it with a bang. An R&B song with some rock elements, it definitely brings an interesting mix. With that said, the music just doesn’t quite feel as complete as I would like. It feels like the chorus is missing something to cover the parts between the heavy guitar and Kato’s voice just isn’t powerful enough to carry the song. It is a cool idea, but sort of lacks in the execution.

Overall:This is a pretty average album. It has some really great songs, but there are also a lot of mediocre and weak songs to offset that as well. I do like that it sounds as though Kato started to diverge from her usual R&B tunes, although I feel like she does those kinds of songs best. With that said, I do find there are some really great album tracks on here and the best song was actually a newer one.

Would You Stay for Tea? is probably their cutest song to date. It’s definitely on the more innocent side with its bright synths, high-pitched piano and sweet vocals. With that said, it’s a solid tune. The chorus is fronted by Yoo Ara whose mature vocals help to push that great melody forward. The hooks in this song aren’t as in-your-face as their other promo songs, but it has a way of worming its way into your head.

Kiss Me changes things up by bringing something with stronger dance elements. I think this is a great song, although I do wish the melody was just a bit stronger. The music is really heavy and the melody doesn’t have the same amount of impact. Nevertheless, it is still a quality tune and it’s catchy and quite a sweet follow-up to the last song.

Wait a Moment features Jung Gyu Woon and Nana and is a sassy midtempo number. I was not expecting anything great with this song, but it has its charms and I really like the verses and pre-chorus where the harmonies and vocals work well together. The chorus is a bit lackluster and I don’t really remember how it goes long after it has been played. I wish it was a bit stronger, although the song is solid.

The final tune, Again, is Yoo Ara’s solo song. She had the strongest vocals in the group, so it was no surprise she got this. It’s a pretty standard ballad, but there are some really nice points to it. I really love the blend of harmonies and strings and the chorus really soars. I wish the melody wasn’t so predictable and played a bit more with the notes because it isn’t the type to get stuck in your head. Decent tune though.

Overall:This is a pretty strong mini-album and featured a variety of songs. I do feel like the first two songs were stronger than the last two, but there were no bad songs on here. The title track is especially great and one of the group’s best songs, especially from their “innocent” days”.

Beautiful is the first digital single released by PENTAGON. It was used as a pre-release single for their third mini-album, CEREMONY

Released: May 18, 2017
1. Beautiful

Beautiful was produced by BTOB’s Jung Ilhoon and is a great midtempo pop ballad. The song starts off in a simple and gentle way that focuses a lot on the harmonies. The highlight is right when the chorus opens as the percussion comes booming in and laying the foundation for that pretty melody to come floating in. The boys sound great and I feel like all their voices deliver here. My only gripe is the hook of “You are beautiful”, which I find a bit cheesy and not particularly catchy. The rest of the song makes up for it though.

Overall:This was a great single to release before the mini and helped to showcase the boys’ vocal capabilities. The harmonies and pounding percussion really help things soar.

Mama Mama opens the album on an upbeat note. This is one of Angela’s catchiest songs and the whole song is full of hooks. The chorus has a great melody and is easily stuck in your head. The verses are interesting as they have Angela rapping over a funky guitar. The thing about this song is that the music has some really great ideas with the guitar and odd synths blasting about. The only part that’s weird is the bridge as it brings a different kind of sound. Still a stellar song even after all these years.

Aurora brings a completely different sound and goes a more “ethnic” route with its more traditional-styled music. I really love this song as it is just as memorable as the last song while providing a really beautiful and touching feeling. The music can sound a bit odd at times as the instruments used do sound a bit too programmed, but there are some really great moments like the chorus.

The Sun in the Palm of My Hand is the first ballad and it’s one of my favourites on the album. It’s a pretty standard ballad, especially from this era of C-Pop as it features a flute and some synths that give the song a more traditional spin. The melody itself is quite beautiful and fits perfectly with the buildup in the chorus from the strings. Angela also sounds great and her piercing vocals don’t get too overpowered by the bombastic music.

Floating Clouds is a really interesting kind of pop tune. It has some pop/rock elements, but still has a dramatic arrangement the blends a lot of instruments. The melody is decent, but the verses are better as I was expecting the chorus to be a little harder hitting. It comes off a bit too fluffy, but it is still a pretty solid song.

Straight Line is a really odd song as it tries to bring in some Arabian elements into a pop/rock song. I think it has an interesting concept that tries to bridge some cool sounds, but it just doesn’t work out. The arrangement is rather flat and the melody is just messy. I feel like this could have worked out better if the chorus lessened the guitars and brought in some more instruments.

Starting Point is a lot better and has a great charm to it. It starts off sounding like it could be a ballad, but it soon gains some energy. The chorus is especially beautiful and while the music is nice, it’s the melody that really lifts the song. It gives this floating kind of feeling and works beautifully with Angela’s voice. I love it.

I find Easter to be a strange name for this song as the song itself is quite dark. It features a gorgeous Spanish guitar and some haunting strings. The chorus is easily the highlight of the song as it continues to build up the emotion. It’s sort of a slow burner, but I feel like the song’s quality is one of the best and the end result is definitely worth it. It gets better with each listen.

Able to Love for a Long Time is a pop song but has a bit of a Mediterranean twist to it to give it some character. I think it has an interesting sound, but I feel like it’s a bit all over the place. The music is sweet, but the strings just sound too overpowering and mixed with that odd electric guitar, it just doesn’t seem to have much focus. The song isn’t particularly catchy either.

Can’t Guess is another pretty standard Mandopop ballad, but it’s also another great piece. I like the feeling that this one tries to give as the melody feels a bit sad. I don’t think the melody is as memorable as some of the other ballads on here, but the music really makes up for it as it’s really beautiful with the gorgeous strings and Chinese string instruments. It’s simple, but nice.

Nothing Keeps Me Calm is a fun pop song with some rock elements. What I love about this song is that it is so bright and positive. It’s just the type of song that is fun to sing along to. It’s catchy and has an exciting arrangement and reminds me of something that Avril Lavigne might do. Angela’s voice also works nicely in this kind of track. Great!

Adoration to Happiness is a duet with Wilber Pan and I love it. It’s really outrageous, but still insanely catchy. It’s a funky pop song with some R&B and hip-hop elements. Wilber mainly raps and his rapping is really great here, while Angela focuses on the singing parts. It’s a great combination and one of the best upbeat songs on the album. My only problem would be that their voices are both edited differently so Angela sounds farther away than Wilber.

Overall:This is another great album. I actually like it more than her debut album, which also had a slew of fantastic songs. This album does have a few weaker songs, but the majority of the songs are quality tunes and there is a variety of sounds so things don’t get too boring. The melodies are pretty top notch and I love the more traditional elements that a lot of songs have in them. There were many great songs.